1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving assistance system.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-164680, filed Jun. 14, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known warning system, a camera is provided at a door mirror of a vehicle, so as to detect a vehicle behind or next to the present vehicle, and provide information to the driver by using segments which are arranged in a column form (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H11-120498).
In a known monitoring system, when a vehicle behind the present vehicle, detected by a camera for photographing an area behind and next to the present vehicle, is approaching rapidly, a rectangular-frame mark is displayed overlappedly on the approaching vehicle, so as to make the driver recognize a possibility of collision (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H11-321494).
Additionally, a known mirror apparatus has a door mirror to which a turn signal light is provided, which is visible to another vehicle behind or next to the present vehicle (see, for example, Published Japanese Translation, No. 2005-521914, of PCT International Publication, No. WO03084780).
However, in the above warning system, the segments show only the clearance between the present vehicle and another vehicle behind or next to the present vehicle, and the driver does not actually see the other vehicle. Therefore, it is difficult for the driver to appropriately judge the present situation.
In the above monitoring system, such an emphasized display using the rectangular-frame mark is applied only to a vehicle which is approaching rapidly; thus, the driver must judge whether or not the present situation is safe, based on his or her own judgment.
Additionally, with respect to the door mirror which simply has a turn signal light which is visible to another vehicle behind or next to the present vehicle, when the driver changes (traffic) lanes or turns the vehicle right or left, the driver may forget to check the door mirror.
That is, in the known door mirror or systems for monitoring an area behind and next to the present vehicle, it is difficult for the driver to appropriately judge the distance between the present vehicle and a vehicle behind or next thereto, and thus to grasp appropriate timing for performing a driving operation such as a lane change or entrance into another lane.